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In the Wake of Awfulness, Patton Oswalt Emerges

Yesterday’s Boston Marathon tragedy — which has all the hallmarks of a terrorist attack — was possibly the most awful and unwelcome surprise of its kind since 9/11. The revelations came in dire waves — first news of explosions, then injuries, then really gruesome injuries, possible fatalities (which eventually did manifest), and then the lingering question of “Who did this?” while TV media played footage of the initial blast over and over. People responded admirably for the most part with their computers — Google set up a person finder, Mr. Rogers’ advice to “look for the helpers” popped up on Facebook, Twitter took on its usual real-time disaster resource role, and love and concern for Boston made its way around.

But it was comedian Patton Oswalt who emerged as the Mr. Rogers-like voice of reason in response to this tragic event. ABC News’ blog summarizes what happened, and even Fox & Friends host Gretchen Carlson mentioned it this morning (along with the Mr. Rogers bon mots). It’s a weird day in America when the genius who skewered “The Christmas Shoes” and who famously called KFC’s Famous Bowl “a failure pile in a sadness bowl” can be lauded by F&F as healing ‘Merica.